Key to Past
by Doctorwhox
Summary: The Doctor Meets A face from past thought long gone and finds himself beginning an adventure and meeting a new nemesis please read and leave a review its my longest storie so far UPDATE chapter 3 and last one now online please let me know what you think
1. Chapter 1

Many believed for sometime that the Time Lords were all extinct, wiped from existence by the great Time War.  
All perished except one. The Doctor himself had survived, believing to be alone until now. But he wasn't the only survivor. One other was protected from the Time War, just as the TARDIS had protected him. Another escaped it. One whom the Doctor knew well, and would soon be reunited with. And so our story begins, on Earth in the far future…

In a house outside of London, a fragile and weak old woman - aged somewhere in her nineties - lies in bed. In walks a young woman aged around twenty-six. She's the old lady's granddaughter, called upon to come to her side. Walking to the bedside, the young woman looks down at her grandmother. Suddenly the old lady turns her head towards the young lady and opens her eyes. With a weak low voice, she begins to speak. 

"Nikki, you've come. Bless you, child."

"Yes, Grammy, I am here," replies Nikki.

"I fear the end is near for me," says the old woman. "Before the time comes, I must tell you something."

Reaching around her neck, the old woman pulls out a necklace - upon it, a key. Nikki stares at it and then the old woman begins to explain.

"You see, my child, this is no ordinary key. It unlocks something that doesn't exists on this world."

Nikki looks at her grandma with a look of disbelief, thinking that it's her grandma's failing health that is causing the tales. She decides to listen further.

"The key - which I've worn around my neck for many years - opens the door to a ship, which is called the TARDIS," the old woman says. "It belonged to my grandfather, who left in it when I was younger. After he left me, I felt so alone but I knew I wasn't. For I had your grandfather to be there with me by then. He gave me an identity, someplace permanent.

"You see, Nikki, I'm not from this planet. I'm from a planet called Gallifrey, where I grew up for a time till I began travelling with my grandfather in the TARDIS. We travelled for some time, and had company along the way - my schoolteachers, Ian and Barbara. The way I came to be here was that we arrived in the TARDIS in London in the year 2157, where we found a great battle was being waged between resistance fighters and an evil alien force called the Daleks. With Grandfather's help, we started the blow that drove the Daleks to their deaths. It was 10 years before all that was over. Your mother was born that year. We had been too busy to think of a family before then.

"Life began to have a bright future for the earth, until your grandfather passed away. Soon I shall join him, but before I do I want you to know more, and there's something I want you to have."

Weakly leaning forward, the old woman uses every bit of strength she has to remove the necklace from her neck, reaching forwards to hand it to Nikki. She drops the necklace into Nikki's palm. The moment the key touches Nikki's skin, it sparks. Nikki takes the key and held it up. Suddenly it begins to glow. A light surrounds it. Frightened, she drops the key, which lands on the floor. Bending down to pick it back up, she finds that the key is standing straight up - still glowing, but now making a low humming sound.

In the console room, we find the Doctor reading a book. His mind isn't on the book, though. It's thinking of Rose, left behind on the alternate earth. The Doctor is now alone travelling amongst the stars.

The Doctor sits in the pilot seat with his feet resting on the TARDIS console, just as Rose used to do many times.   
He closes his eyes and drifts off to sleep… which is suddenly cut short by the sounds of the TARDIS demanding his attention. 

Taking the hint, the Doctor instantly springs to his feet. The TARDIS is shaking vigorously then stops. Something is interfering with the instruments. He tries to override the error but he is locked out. Whatever it is, the Doctor has no idea. All he knows for sure is that he is heading somewhere. The question is, where?

Within moments the sounds of the TARDIS materializing are heard, then nothing. Looking at the monitors, the Doctor begins to work out where he has landed.

"Hmm," he says. "It's Earth. Seems to be the far future, year unknown."

Well, as always, the Doctor is curious. He makes his way to the doors and opens them, exiting the TARDIS.  
Outside the air is a cool breeze and everything seems normal. Suddenly he feels a strange sensation that he has been here before. Of course he has - he's been to earth many times. But for some reason, this time feels different.

Scanning the immediate area the Doctor feels a strange force or something directing him. He proceeds onwards, and after a short brisk walk he finds himself standing outside an old farmhouse. He raises his hand and knocks on the door. After a few minutes the door opens. Nikki stands there.

"Yes, may I help you?" she says.

Before the Doctor can answer a strange light begins to be emitted from her hand. It's the TARDIS key, which flies from her hand towards the Doctor. He catches it, and both of them stand looking puzzled at one another.

Then the Doctor speaks. "Where did you get this?" he asks.

"It belongs to my grandmother."

"I must see her,"

"I'm sorry," says Nikki. "but I don't know you - and my grandmother isn't in the best of health." 

"Please," insists the Doctor. "I must see her."

For some strange reason Nikki feels that it's OK to trust this man. Stepping aside, she lets him in. Shutting the door, she motions for him to follow down a long hall. They turn towards a room. Inside, an old woman is seen sleeping. Walking over to the old woman, the Doctor realizes he knows her, but can't recall who she is.

The old woman opens her eyes and stares at the Doctor. She, too, realizes that she knows him. Then she speaks.

"Grandfather - is that you?" she asks. Something tells her that it's him. She'd known him when his body was old, but had also met him once when he was in a young body - in his fifth regeneration.

The Doctor stares in disbelief. It has just occurred to him that he knows who she is. 

Susan… but it can't be her! He knows that with the destruction of Gallifrey, all Time Lords were wiped from existence. Susan - whom he left on Earth many adventures ago - would have been lost as well. But here she was - he knows it to be her. Leaning forward, Susan hugs him. Though weak, she uses all the strength she has. Nikki stands and watches in disbelief.

Susan then calls Nikki over. She walks slowly towards the two.

"My dear," Susan says. "This is my grandfather - your great-great grandfather."

The Doctor and Nikki turn and stare at each other for a few minutes, then the Doctor breaks the silence.

"So you're my great-great-granddaughter," he says, walking over to her.

Somehow Nikki feels that he is whom he says. Turning back to Susan, the Doctor still has one unanswered question, which was how could Susan have survived the Time War. He walks back and forth for several minutes, then stops.

"Of course – I've got it."

There's a pause.

"What is it, grandfather?" Susan asks.

"I know how you survived the Time War,"

"The Time War? What's that?"

"Oh, you don't know," the Doctor says.

"Don't know what?" 

"That all of Gallifrey is gone, and every Time Lord gone wiped from existence. Except now, I know it's not all."

Susan sits in the bed - a sad look upon her face. Tears are forming. She has known, somehow, but hadn't been sure. The day it had happened she had felt something, but had never known until now.

"So how did you survive, Grandfather?" Susan asks.

"Well, the TARDIS protected me from the Time War," he replies.

"So how was I protected?"

"Well, that's what I was getting to," the Doctor says. "You see, you've had the key to the TARDIS all these years. It itself is part of the TARDIS. Having protected me, the key itself acted as a shield of sorts. It blocked the effects of the wave."

The Doctor keeps on with the technical babble until Nikki interrupts.

"OK, Doctor, right - I think we got the point. Sorry."

"I'm sorry," he replies. "I'm just so happy to see Susan again. You remember, Susan - I know it's been long ago, but I never forgot you, and I did promise I would return one day. And the TARDIS never let me forget - nor did it, but why has it brought me here after all this time?" 

So why did the TARDIS do that, and why - when Nikki touched the key – had it set off the events that led to now? Well, the reason would soon be found out. As you see, Nikki was on an adventure of a lifetime.

Nikki was soon realizing her grandma wasn't losing it. After all, she had met her great-great-grandfather and now they  
had a mystery upon them. Why was the Doctor brought here? Was it to be with Susan in her final moments, or was it for another purpose - perhaps to save Susan?

A short while later the Doctor and Nikki are sitting in the kitchen when a loud humming sound is heard. Both jump to there feet and race off towards the sound. Its coming from Susan's room inside they can see a bright light. Entering they find that the light is surrounding Susan. Both make there way to her. She stares up at them and smiles.

"My time has come," she says. "I've been prepared for it."

Suddenly she buckles up. The flash surrounds her body. Now she begins to change into a form with no features - a white human form. The light becomes brighter. Shielding their eyes, the Doctor and Nikki try to keep looking. The Doctor notices the TARDIS key is spinning as well. Suddenly there's a huge burst of light filling the room. The Doctor and Nikki fall back.

"Doctor!" Nikki yells. "What is happening?"

"I dunno - never seen anything like it," the Doctor replies.

The light dissipates, and when the Doctor and Nikki are able to adjust their eyes once more they are shocked at what they see...

The bed is empty – but standing at the window is the figure of a young woman. She turns and stares at the two. The Doctor and Nikki can see the woman seems to be in her twenties - maybe younger than Nikki. The Doctor steps forward. He can see the TARDIS key hanging from the young woman's hand.

"Susan…" the Doctor says.

"Yes, grandfather. It's me."

"But how? You never finished schooling on Gallifrey. Only trained Time Lords can regenerate!" 

"Well, grandfather - I have the TARDIS to thank for that," replies Susan. "It showed me how, and helped me to become a full Time Lady."

Nikki steps forwards. "You're my grandmother… but it can't be. How?"

"Well," the Doctor begins. "Time Lords - which is what me and Susan are - have a way of cheating death..."

Over the next few minutes he explains it to Nikki, who by now is starting to come to terms with what has transpired.

"So the TARDIS helped," he concludes to Susan. "It used the info of the Matrix to complete your journey. That is why I was brought here, so you could regenerate before your final end."

"Yes," Susan says. "I can see that. But that wasn't the only purpose for your arrival."

The Doctor looks puzzled.

"There is a greater calling here," explains Susan. "and you must help me complete that a mission of great urgency."

"Well, one thing I have yet to figure out," says the Doctor. "You survived the Time Wars, yes, but how come I never sensed your presence?"

"Well, grandfather, the TARDIS not only masked me from the Time War. It kept my presence hidden as well till the time was right. You see, it's been my watcher all these years as well… sort of a mother."

"Back to this mission. What is it?" he asks.

"All will be revealed," she says. "We must go now."

The two stand to leave. Nikki walks over.

"Where are you going?" she asks. 

"There's something we must do. You're welcome to come," Susan says.


	2. Chapter 2

Nikki agrees to follow but is hesitant about it. They leave the house and proceed to the TARDIS.

Upon arriving Susan looks at it. She had forgotten how it looked, and how much she missed it. The Doctor walks to the door to unlock it, but then he stops. Stepping to the side, he looks at Susan - who knows what he wants her to do. She steps to the door, taking the key from her pocket, then reaches forwards and inserts the key. As she turns it, the door clicks and she pushes it open. She walks in first, ahead of the Doctor.

Now Nikki is standing outside, watching the TARDIS and trying to figure out why they went into this police box. Suddenly the Doctor sticks his head out of the door.

"Are you coming?" he asks.

"What - in there?" protests Nikki. Then she thinks to herself "what the heck?" and enters.

The doors close behind her. She stops and looks around, thinking "wow - this can't be…" But then she realizes that, after what happened to her grandma, anything is possible.

Susan is standing at the console.

"Well, Grandfather - I see you've made a few changes," she says.

"Yeah, everyone seems to say that," he replies, with a grin.

Suddenly reaching forward , Susan begins to set the controls. Somehow she knows the coordinates - but not what they will lead the TARDIS to.

"So where are we headed?" the Doctor asks.

"I do not know," Susan says. "but we shall soon see."

She pulls down a lever. The sounds of whooshing and humming are heard as the TARDIS dematerialises, heading for the unknown.

The trip seemed to be taking forever, so Susan decides to take a look around the TARDIS to see what other changes have taken place. She makes her way down the halls, examining the changes - anything that seems different. She comes upon a room that seems new. The doors are locked. Moving away, she goes on.

Back in the console room, Nikki and the Doctor are getting to know one another better.

"So you're my grandfather - how old are you?" she asks.

"Well," the Doctor says with a hesitant smile. "in your earth years I'm around 900, give or take."

"Wow!" Nikki says. "But you're so young-looking…"

"When we regenerate, we Time Lords can appear many different ages – we're never the same." 

Shortly, Susan returns from her explorations. 

"Grandfather," she asks. "what's behind the two double doors that are locked?"

The Doctor stares at her for a moment, then he begins to speak.

"Well, would you care to see?" he asks.

"Yes," Susan replies.

Both of them head towards the room, with Nikki right behind.

Arriving at the double doors, the Doctor removes a key and unlocks them. As he pushes them open, Nikki and Susan can see that the room is in pitch blackness. As they step forward, the room lights up. A huge space is revealed - a museum of sorts. As they make their way down into the room, the first items they see are a picture of Susan along with items belonging to her; then more pictures (Ian, Barbara, Vicki and so on) and items, representing every companion who has travelled with the Doctor. The room is a memorial to them all. The last exhibit is a picture of Rose, hung in a case. Below are items belonging to her - the last companion.

The Doctor stares at Rose's picture. Reaching forwards, he pushes a button. A life-size hologram – a 3D picture – of Rose appears. Though incredibly lifelike, it can't speak. Susan and Nikki both stare.

"Grandfather, who is she?" Susan asks.

"Well, her name was Rose - one companion I had grown to have feelings for unlike any other… except you, Susan."

"But your family? What happened to her" asks Nikki.

"We were separated by dimensions," he says. "but I've never forgotten her."

He reaches forward and turns off the hologram.

"Well, now you've seen the room. Let's see where the TARDIS is bringing us."

Making their way back to the console room, they hear the sounds of the TARDIS materializing.

"Hmmm… let's see where we are," the Doctor says, reading the monitors. "Well now, I don't recognize this place, but everything outside seems OK. Air breathable, and such. Let's have a look - we were brought here for some reason. Why not find out why?"

The three of them exit the TARDIS. Outside is a sparse and grassy landscape - few trees and mountains. They make their way down what seems like a path, leading to a cave. 

"I guess this seems like a good place to investigate," mutters the Doctor.

Inside, the cave becomes larger until finally they stop near a ledge over looking a large cavernous area. All three stare in amazement. Below can be seen buildings - a city inside a cave. However, it appears to be abandoned. Looking around, the Doctor finds a narrow set of stairs leading down to the city, stopping at the bottom of the cavern. They continue their journey, now heading inwards to the city.

Entering the city the three travellers begin to look around. The buildings seem to have been abandoned for some time.  
Markings on the buildings seem familiar, as do the design of the buildings - not only to the Doctor, but to Susan as well. Further into the town, the trio encounter a beautiful waterfall. In the centre of the falls is the symbol of Gallifrey. 

The Doctor and Susan looked at one another. How can this be? But now they think about it, the buildings are of Gallifreyan design. The question is how did they get here and why?

Nikki strays off into an open building. Inside she finds tables, chairs, a few statues. Nothing out of the ordinary. She makes her way over to a large painting on the wall and looks it over. Turning around, she loses her balance and falls against the painting. It tilts sideways and she falls through. The painting closes back behind her.

Getting to her feet, Nikki dusts herself off and tries to open the painting again, without luck. She begins to follow the hallway in front of her. Soon she finds, that it ends in a large round room. There she finds a large thronelike chair, a long table and chairs around it - like a meeting space. Walking to the other end of the room, she approaches two double doors. Pushing them open, she enters.

This room is dark, but lights up as she steps inside. Machines line every wall, as well as monitors and gadgets of all descriptions. A large monitor hangs on the right-hand wall – nearby, there is a window. Walking over to the window, Nikki peers through. She can see inside. Beyond the window is a larger room containing what appear to be large tubes. Walking to a nearby door, Nikki tries to open it but finds that the door is locked. There is no keyhole to be seen - just the handle. After a few seconds of trying, she decides to find a way out. 

Walking back to the hall, this time she notices what appears to be another door. As she approaches, it opens, sliding back. It's a lift - but where to? There's only one way to find out. She steps inside. The doors close and a slight movement is felt.

Back in the town the Doctor and Susan have been searching everywhere for Nikki. Each building seems to be a dead end. But upon entering one of the buildings near the end of the town – one of the large ones - they find some sort of meeting hall. The Doctor and Susan both approach what appears to be a door. Just as Susan reaches for the handle the door swishes open and out steps Nikki.

"We have been looking for you everywhere!" Susan says.

"Well I found a secret passage by accident," explains Nikki. "And then I ended up in some weird room. It was full of computers - and there was another strange room beyond that."

"What about this room?" asks the Doctor - who seems intrigued, since all the other buildings seemed ordinary.

"Well… it's hidden."

"Take us there," the Doctor says.


	3. Chapter 3

Susan and the Doctor follow Nikki back into the lift and it moves. Within a few minutes, Nikki has led them back to where she started - walking back towards the room. Once there, the Doctor begins to look over the room - experimenting with the consoles and such. The large monitor springs to life. It's divided up into eight sections: each a view of a different sector of the city. It appears that the room is some kind of observation station.

Walking around, the Doctor comes to the window. "Not very clear inside," he remarks. Peering through it, he can make out those tubes seen by Nikki earlier. He heads for the door into the windowed room.

"Um, Doctor, that door is locked," Nikki says. "I've already tried."

The Doctor reaches for the handle. He turns it and it clicks. Nikki has a look of surprise on her face, but the Doctor knows what going to happen. He's seen it before. It's a safeguard for this kind of door - only a Time Lord can open it.

The door opens with a swoosh and in walks the Doctor. Lights come on inside the room, revealing more monitors and a few consoles. The tubes seen through the window now appear to be doors to other rooms. The Doctor works at another console and one of the tube-doors opens with a hiss. Fog rolls out.

As the fog clears, the Doctor and his companions enter and are shocked at what they find. Along each wall are bodies – all perfectly preserved. This room contains ten, altogether – each appears to have been frozen. Nikki can't believe it. She steps back. Suddenly something touches her shoulder. She screams.

The Doctor and Susan run to her and find her standing, stiff with fright, near one of the bodies – a man's body which has fallen away from the wall and against her own and is now leaning propped against her. The Doctor grabs the body, lifts it away and carries it to a table nearby. He feels for a pulse.

"This man is alive," he says. 

Slowly, as the room begins to return to a normal temperature, each of the bodies begins to change colour from pale white to flesh tones. The bodies are not dead after all – merely frozen in suspended animation. Susan and the Doctor begin laying each of them out on the floor. Life begins to return to them. The man on the table, now fully restored, opens his eyes.

Staring up at the Doctor, he asks "Who are you?"

"I'm the Doctor. And who might you be?"

"My name is Naferion."

"Where are you from?" the Doctor asks.

Naferion slowly sits up – he's still a little weak. He looks around at the others who are starting to come round. One of the women stands up, takes a step and loses her balance. Nikki rushes forwards to catch her.

"Thanks," the young woman says. "I guess I'm still a little out… My name is Ness."

"I'm Nikki."

As each of the recovering people begins to regain strength, Naferion begins to tell his story and the Doctor, Nikki and Susan begin to hear about how all this came about. A powerful oracle on Gallifrey had predicted the Time War, prompting the High Council to find a planet on which to begin a new Gallifrey.

"Each one of us was chosen to help set things up - scientists, doctors, engineers…" explains Naferion. "We were then to go into stasis where we would be safe from the effects of the Time War. Afterwards we would be woken by the computer to begin life again."

"But why the other stasis booth?" asks the Doctor.

"Well, it was for the High Council… whom I assume didn't make it." Naferion says.

"No - afraid not," the Doctor says.

Suddenly Ness walks over.

"You're the Doctor…" she says. "We were told of you. You're a legend on Gallifrey… Were there any survivors at all?"

"No," says the Doctor. "Just myself, and - I recently found out – my granddaughter Susan. She survived as well. And now, all of you - all of us protected by shields."

Everyone begins to walk out into the control room. Susan is talking to Nikki when a young man walks out of the stasis room. Somehow she feels as if she knows him. Walking up to him, she says "Hi - my name is Susan. What's yours?"

The young man stares with a look of surprise.

"Susan…" he says. "I knew a Susan once when I was in another generation. We were best friends at the Academy. My name is Casious."

Susan takes a step back, looking surprised herself.

"Casious… oh my. It is me – Susan. I've changed as well."

The two stare at each other for a brief moment and then hug.

"Wow, this is so great. I never forgot you."

"As I never forgot you," she says.

The two walk out the control room, eager to catch up. The Doctor notices this, but turns his attention back to helping Naferion set up the computers. It's a thrill to be amongst his own people once again, the Doctor thinks. Nikki is off exploring the area as well with some of the others, helping to move things.

Everyone is busy doing something elsewhere as Susan and Casious are talking, and when they come upon an object that Casious has never seen before - a diamond-shaped device.

"What's wrong, Casious?" Susan asks.

"That object… it wasn't there before. I should know - I helped build this part of the city."

Walking over to it, he notices that the rock formations behind the buildings have rolled away. Rock is crumbled around. Casious reaches forwards and touches the object. Suddenly he jerks back. The object hums and the top part falls into itself, then back out. Turning to run,Casious is grabbed by some force and pulled towards the object. A large door opens in the rock-face and Casious,still trying to pull away, is pulled into the darkness.

Susan stands there and screams in fear, not noticing that another recoveree has run up and pulled Casious away just as the door closed, saving him. Having heard the screams, the Doctor and others arrive running, to see what's happening. As they reach the door, the lights come on.

The room beyond is unlike anything anyone there has ever seen - even the Doctor. In the centre of the room is a young man in a stasis tube, but this one is sealed with what look like security warnings from the Castellan's office – "DO NOT OPEN." The Doctor carefully examines the tube.

Unknown to them all, a mysterious figure is watching from the shadows.

The others, all thinking that this is just another part of the city, drift away to finish their other duties. The Doctor stays behind, as does Nikki. He begins to read the files on the console, trying to make sense of what this room is. But at every turn, he's thwarted by an encrypted file.

"Whoever or whatever built this room was hiding the technology and its purpose very carefully."

He studies the young man in the tube again.

"Hmmm," he thinks to himself. "If this wasn't a original part of the new Gallifrey, then where did it come from?"

Back and forth the Doctor works, but no codes or combinations he uses seem to be helping. The encryption appears to be in an early form of Old Gallifreyan.

Nikki is exploring the other side of the room. "So many strange items," she thinks. "Computers everywhere, machines line the wall…"

Suddenly she happens upon an odd-looking console, the buttons all coloured. Reaching forward, she has the urge to push one. Just as she does, machines begin to spring to life, humming and buzzing.

Nikki jumps back as the Doctor comes rushing over.

"What happened?" he yells.

"I dunno," she replies. "I just was looking and messing with the buttons."

"Which one did you push?" he asks.

"Just that one," she says, pointing to the green one.

Suddenly the centre of the room lights up. The tank holding the young man begins to spring to life, bubbling. The Doctor, rushing to the consoles, sees that the tank has become active. As to what's going to happen, he's completely baffled. 

Suddenly there's a loud noise near the corner. A secret door opens - inside is a large cylindrical chamber. The Doctor walks over to the chamber. Just as Nikki goes to join him, the watching figure runs out and pushes Nikki out of the door to the city outside and reaches for a switch, closing the door panel behind her. She jumps up from where she has fallen and screams "Doctor!"

The Doctor turns around to see the figure behind him.

"Who are you?" the Doctor asks.

The figure is silent for a few moments, then, removing his hood, replies "I'm Addicus."

The Doctor steps back and stares, blankly, into what appears to be a mass of liquid energy. No features of man nor beast, just a solid surface of force. It is the essence of a former Time Lord

The Doctor has seen this once before - when he was transporting the Master, whose body was destroyed and reduced to this sort of form. And now, this Time Lord Addicus is in the same state.

"Well, Doctor," says Addicus. "I've heard so much about you. You've arrived in perfect timing to witness my greatest triumph."

"What might that be?" asks the Doctor.

"Well, you see, Doctor… I fled here before the Time War. I built this lab and, using my own DNA, cloned myself. Then came the hardest part - losing my former body and reducing myself to this form you see before you. It was the only way to escape the time wave that wiped us out."

"So that's how you survived," the Doctor says. "I wondered about that."

"Now, with your help, I can achieve my goal in no time, "continues Addicus. "With your knowledge, the Time Lords shall rule again with myself as their new leader."

The Doctor knew, in his mind, that this could never happen. He needed to get out.

Outside Nikki, Susan and the others are trying to gain access to the lab, but every effort is a failure. The door has sealed and can no longer be forced from the outside. Now it is up to the Doctor to find a way out.

The Doctor is working on that plan already. Addicus is concentrating on a control panel. If the Doctor can make his way to another then he can cause a interruption, but there is every chance that he can't. So he decides to go along with the idea.

"Well now, Doctor, if you would be so kind to stand here? And when I say 'pull this switch' the idea is that I'm going to step into the chamber," says Atticus. "When the switch is pulled, my whole being will be transferred straight into the pod containing my clone, and this form will cease - and I shall be reborn."

The Doctor stands watching Addicus make his way to the chamber and stand with his back to the wall. Reaching forward, he presses a button. A door on the chamber closes. Suddenly blue beams begin to pulsate. Over the intercom Addicus says "now, Doctor!"

The Doctor presses the button. Inside, the chamber lights up. Addicus jerks and shakes, his body lighting up as if regenerating. Within minutes it disappears in a ball of light, which travels along the tubes and into the pod containing the body. The liquid inside begins to bubble rapidly and the body jerks and shakes. Suddenly all goes silent.

The Doctor walks over to the body. He is staring into its face when suddenly it opens its eyes. Reaching up, the body rips away the wires and such and swims to the top of the tube. It makes its way over the side.

The Doctor can do nothing but sit back and watch weak Addicus making his way to where he left the clothes he'd previously been wearing, and putting them on. Donning his robe, Addicus stands tall at the top of the chamber and yells out "All praise to me - I'm reborn. Just like the phoenix, I have risen once again. Addicus - ruler of new Gallifrey." 

The Doctor knows that Addicus can't be let free, as it would mean the end to new Gallifrey. He is a madman, the Doctor realizes. All those years in the liquid energy form has made him lose his brief bit of sanity. But alone, how was the Doctor going to stop him? He watches as Addicus sat down in what appeared to be a throne. Stepping to a nearby console, the Doctor decides to try and make a diversion so he may make a run for it. Addicus, seeing this, presses a button on the arm of his throne. The Doctor is suddenly trapped in a glass-like cell.

"So, Doctor, I see you're against me," Addicus observes. "Well, you shall soon join those who oppose me once my wrath is set out. But first, I need to fully gain my strength. My new body is slow to adjust, but it's fulfilling. All the best…"

Addicus presses another button and the throne disappears beneath the floor. This gives the Doctor his chance to get out. Removing his sonic screwdriver from his pocket, he uses it to crack the glass enough to the point where he can give it a swift kick and set himself free. Escaped, the Doctor runs to the door to get free but he can't succeed in opening it. The Doctor decides to return his efforts to the main console.

As Susan and Nikki continue their work outside, the Doctor tinkers with the encrypted files. Working on a variation of Old Gallifrey, he finally unlocks the secured files. What he finds causes his face to go pale. Addicus has evidently been a scientist on Gallifrey but, due to his research – experiments on other living beings - he has been banned. He has been attempting to find the secret to living forever, never having to regenerate again, but his attempts have failed. The Time Lords banished him. He escaped here and set up his work again. So what was his purpose here? Was it to begin the experiments all over again? The thought of this drives the Doctor even more to want to put a stop to him.

Looking for a possible escape, the Doctor finds he may be able to bypass the doors and escape. But he can't until this lab is destroyed and Addicus is stopped. Upon careful inspection, he finds he can overload all the circuits in the equipment at one time using his sonic screwdriver. Making the necessary adjustments, he sets it up to take care of Addicus.

A short while later, the throne rises up and Addicus rises to his feet.

"Well, Doctor - I see you have escaped my little cell. Well, you won't escape with your life so easily."

Addicus reaches for the control pad on his throne, but the Doctor rushes him, knocking him down. The two struggle until the Doctor kicks Addicus back into the throne. Seeing his chance, the Doctor activates his sonic screwdriver and the machines begin to spark. Just as one of the machines explodes, Addicus is struck as he turns to face the Doctor. One side of his face has been hit. As he rushes at the Doctor, there is another explosion. Addicus hits the ground from the force. The Doctor, seeing his chance, makes for the door. Using his sonic screwdriver, he gets the door to rise.

Outside, Nikki, Susan and the others are waiting. Behind him, everyone watches as the lab crumbles, its machines exploding. The pod in the centre of the room explodes.

In a distant clearing, the Doctor can see Addicus. He is making his way to his throne and disappears into it. Minutes later, a familiar sound is heard - humming and whooshing.

"Grandfather, that sounds like the TARDIS," Susan says.

"Yes, I know," says the Doctor. "It would seem that Addicus had his own. He has escaped, but not for long. Soon he and I will meet again."

The Doctor walks to the door to the lab, making adjustments to the panel at the front. The door closes suddenly, then turns to stone, blending into the rock formation.

"What happened?" asks Nikki.

"I closed the door forever, and then made it appear to be rock," replies the Doctor. "Future generations will never find it, hopefully."

With the battle finally over, everything seems to be getting better. It is time for the Doctor to go. He has found new hope for his home world and no longer feels so alone any more. He has made one new enemy, but everything has its ups and downs. With Addicus escaping, the Doctor knows he must be in pursuit to stop any evil deeds that Addicus may bring upon other civilizations.

A short time later, the Doctor is ready to go. He is saying goodbye to the fellow Gallifreyans, and then he finds Susan.  
This time, she has decided to stay on New Gallifrey and help make new lives, and make a new one of her own with Casious.

The Doctor looks at his granddaughter. "Susan," he says. "This time I will be back sooner than before. In fact, I'll be back very frequently to check up on the progress here. If ever you need anything, all you have to do is call."

Walking to the TARDIS doors, he unlocks them and enters. Nikki is talking with her grandmother.

Suddenly, the Doctor pokes his head out of the door.

"Well, I've got a quick question. Would you care to join me for a quick trip among the stars?"

Nikki looks at the Doctor, then back at her grandmother, and says "Why not?"

Before she heads to the TARDIS, her grandmother stops her. Susan removes the TARDIS key and chain from around her own neck.

"Here - I want you to have this. It's yours now."

Nikki, taking the key, holds it firmly in her hand. She hugs her grandmother goodbye, then heads into the TARDIS. Susan and the others wave goodbye.

"Well, my dear," says the Doctor. "Where would you like to go, as I must have asked before?"

"Doesn't matter," Nikki replies. "I'm ready for anything."

"Well, sit back and hold on to your seat - here we go."

And with that, the Doctor presses a few switches, pulls a few levers and the humming sounds fill the room.

"One thing, Doctor," Nikki says. "What should I call you? I've been calling you 'Doctor' but I can't call you 'great-great-grandfather' – it's a little too much. And certainly not 'triple g'."

"That last one – 'triple g' - sounds like a bad American rap group," he replies, with a great big smile on his face. "Won't you just call me 'grandfather'?"

"OK," she says.

And with that the TARDIS swirls off through space and time, with a new passenger, on the trip of a lifetime.


End file.
